The Wrestler (2008)

Director:

Darren Aronofsky

Writer (WGA):

Robert D. Siegel (written by)

Release Date:

30 January 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Love. Pain. Glory.

Plot:

A faded professional wrestler must retire, but finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle.

Plot Keywords:

Wrestling | Wrestler | Professional Wrestler | Stripper | 1980s

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 30 wins & 25 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Feb. 9	8:00 PM	MAX
Wed. Feb. 17	6:35 PM	MAX
Sun. Feb. 21	4:40 PM	MAX

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Mickey Rourke	...	Randy
Marisa Tomei	...	Cassidy
Evan Rachel Wood	...	Stephanie
Mark Margolis	...	Lenny
Todd Barry	...	Wayne
Wass Stevens	...	Nick Volpe
Judah Friedlander	...	Scott Brumberg
Ernest Miller	...	The Ayatollah
Dylan Keith Summers	...	Necro Butcher (as Dylan Summers)
Tommy Farra	...	Tommy Rotten
Mike Miller	...	Lex Lethal
Marcia Jean Kurtz	...	Admissions Desk Woman
John D'Leo	...	Adam
Ajay Naidu	...	Medic
Gregg Bello	...	JAPW Promoter Larry Cohen

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexuality/nudity, language and some drug use.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:16 | USA:R (certificate #44697) | Finland:K-15 | Australia:MA | Portugal:M/16 | Brazil:14 | Singapore:R21 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Argentina:16 | Germany:12 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | New Zealand:R16 | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | Mexico:B15 | Denmark:15 | Austria:16 | France:U (with warning) | Iceland:14 | Chile:18

Filming Locations:

1230 East Linden Avenue, Linden, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Wild Bunch

Trivia:

The film reportedly moved wrestler/actor Roddy Piper so much, he broke down and cried after a screening.

Goofs:

Continuity: Randy is shown a couple times getting his roots bleached. Once at the salon and another time when he tries to do it himself at home. Both times after his hair is bleached, his hair looks exactly the same, with dark roots.

Quotes:

Randy 'The Ram' Robinson: I don't hear as good as I used to, and I ain't as pretty as I used to be. But I'm still here - I'm the Ram.

Movie Connections:

Features Pac-Man (1982) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Balls To The Wall

Brutal, Honest, Touching film

The Wrestler is a drama centered around an aging professional wrestler past his prime. It's so much more than that. You don't have to be a fan of wrestling to enjoy this film. The wrestling part of it can be put aside as a back story. Randy "The Ram" could be in any other profession, doing any other thing and could be in the same situation. That's what's so great about it. He's just a lonely guy, whose life seems to have passed him by. A middle aged man who doesn't have much going for him. Sure, he's a wrestler, but he needs wrestling more than wrestling needs him. He needs it to feel important, to feel like a somebody. He really has nothing to show for himself, no wife, just a daughter he hasn't been there for his whole life. Missed opportunities. He's sad and alone and we really do feel for him.

A closer bond seems to be forming between him and his stripper friend, played by Marisa Tomei, who seems to be in a similar situation as he is. The middle aged stripper who seems to have a real connection with "The Ram" is shown in another misunderstood profession. We all may not be as different as we may think. Health problems compromise his wrestling career as he tries to deal with the real world and rebuild his relationship with his abandoned daughter. The scenes with Evan Rachel Wood (his daughter) are touching. Beautifully done. Rourke's character portrayal of the Ram is one of the best in a long time. He's not just acting, he transforms into the character on screen. It's amazing to watch. All the credit he's getting is truly deserved.

The film is Directed by Darren Aronofsky, who also directed Requiem for a Dream. He does a beautiful job showing the sport with realism. The film respects the wrestlers and their world, and expects the same from the audience. This film is done in a style that's so real, so honest, so amazing, in easily one of the best films of the year. All around great performances and great direction. Definitely worth checking out sometime.